Year 7 Rail Safety Assembly

In the IB Middle Years Programme, we talk a lot about "Agency"—which is really just a fancy way of saying that as you grow up, you are the boss of your own choices. Now that you are in Year 7, you are starting to navigate the world more independently. This assembly isn't just about following rules; it’s about becoming a Principled traveler who understands how to stay safe while moving through our big, busy world.

Think of the railway as a massive, high-energy system. When we look at it through the lens of a Thinker, we realize that trains are amazing feats of engineering, but they also follow the strict laws of physics. Because a train is so heavy and moves so fast, it has massive momentum. It can’t swerve like a bike or stop on a dime like a car. It takes a huge amount of space—sometimes the length of 20 football pitches—to come to a full stop. By being Knowledgeable about these facts, you can make smarter decisions before a train even arrives at the platform.

Being a Caring member of our community means looking out for "invisible" dangers, too. You might not see the 25,000 volts of electricity running through the overhead wires or the 750 volts in the third rail, but being Reflective means knowing they are always there. Electricity is always looking for a path to the ground, and since the human body is a great conductor, we have to keep our distance. Even something as simple as a dangling headphone wire or a tall umbrella could get too close to that power.

When you choose to stand safely behind the yellow line and put your phone away while walking near tracks, you are showing Integrity. You aren't just keeping yourself safe; you are respecting the train drivers and the thousands of other passengers who share the journey with you. Taking this kind of Responsible Action is exactly what it means to be a true IB learner—someone who uses what they know to make the world a safer place for everyone.